Finding Ways To Please The Lord!

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. Ephesians 5:8-10, 13 NIV

How long O Lord, how long will You continue to tolerate our attempts to please man more than pleasing You?

This letter written to the church at Ephesus was not written to unbelievers, but to Believers who once walked in the deeds of darkness, but should now walk in the light--making sure all of their deeds are illuminated by the motivation to please The Lord!

When I listen to people who claim to be Christians, but the words falling from their mouth sound like the words of the world and the things they do are no different than those in the world--those who have never been exposed to God's Truth, I have to wonder--do they really know Jesus Christ?

If there is no difference between the Believer and the unbeliever--how is anyone supposed to tell us apart? Jesus told we'd be known by our love for one another--but I see little evidence of that love among those who profess to know Christ. If Believers cannot tell the difference between other 
Believers and those in the world, what a sad commentary that makes on society and even sadder commentary about the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross.

He didn't hang on that cross for those of us who say we believe to act like the rest of the world--cussing, deceiving, manipulating others, creating havoc and chaos every where they go. He hung on that cross--demonstrating His love for us and His desire for us to spend eternity with Him. We are to be examples to the world, not pawns in the hands of the enemy to act like the world.

Everything we do and say--should model what He did and said. We should be compassionate, kind, and loving, teaching His truths to all who will receive it. And for those who choose not to receive it, we shake the dust off our feet, smile and keep going. We take care of the poor and the needy and defend the rights of the vulnerable. We stand tall, loudly and proudly proclaiming the love of God, refusing to back down or back away from living His Truth. And when we are in doubt--about what to do about anything--we seek Him through His Word or Holy Spirit guidance so we'll know what we do--pleases Him, whether it pleases man or not. 

Is there anybody out there who wants to please God more than man (or government)? I wonder if we have to courage to defy man's dictates in order to please God in obeying Him. In this country, no one should be afraid to defy a corrupt and godless government, but people are and I'm inclined to believe it is because they care more about what people think of them, than God. And those same people will only have the lake of fire as their eternal resting place.

Help us today, Lord, to find ways to please You!